Allan Douglas Jr is optimistic Bermuda can emulate their success in the previous T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier, which the island hosted in 2019.

Bermuda finished runners-up in the tournament to advance to the global qualifier along with champions Canada.

Experienced all-rounder Douglas sees no reason why lightning cannot strike twice at the regional qualifier in Antigua next month.

“We did it before two years ago so I don’t see why we can’t do it now with an even stronger team that we have with a good crop of players,” he told The Royal Gazette.

The new-look Bermuda squad boasts overseas-based players Delray Rawlins, Okera Bascome and Kamau Leverock along with most of the island’s leading domestic players in the 20-overs format.

All-rounder Leverock will captain the team for the first time.

“We have a good crop of players that are in form like Chris Douglas, Dion Stovell, Delray Rawlins and Kamau Leverock, who is back giving us a good push as skipper,” Douglas added.

“We also have Onias Bascome and Rodney Trott, who was the leading wicket-taker this season, so we are now looking to put it all together and qualify for the 2022 T20 World Cup.

“I’m just hoping we can do it again for Bermuda and make them proud.

“It would be lovely for us to get into the World Cup again and put Bermuda on the map, which is a good thing for us to look forward to.”

Canada and the United States are again expected to be the favourites to secure the two qualifying spots from the eight-team event.

However, Douglas believes the heavy burden of expectation that the Americans and Canadians will carry on their shoulders can work in Bermuda’s favour.

“The pressure is not on us,” he said. “The pressure is going to be on the United States and Canada, having been picked as the favourites.

“We just have to play our natural games and do what we normally do. If we can bring what we do at the domestic level to the international level, then I don’t see why we can’t beat these teams that dominate our region.”

Bermuda’s players will be well-conditioned to the 20-overs format having been exposed to it for the past two summers as part of a curtailed domestic league amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It should work to our advantage because we have been playing this format for the last two years, so our mindset should be set on just T20,” Douglas said.

The St George’s player had an outstanding summer with the bat facing the new ball at the top of the order, scoring three centuries including a season-high score of 146, to help guide the East Enders to the Twenty20 Premier Division title on net run-rate over Southampton Rangers and Somerset.

Douglas hopes to pick up where he left off in Antigua next month.

“When you have a good domestic season and are in good form, you always look to carry it on for your country in international tournaments,” he said.

“Hopefully I can get the opening bat for the national team because now I have a mindset of what I want to do when I open, which actually kind of helped me during the domestic season.

“Hopefully, the coaches know that and see that, and I am pretty confident that’s what they have in their plans.”